Plus, Debunking hurricane conspiracy theories, Hospitals face IV fluid shortage after Helene

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Good morning,

Take a second before you do a good deed and toss someone’s trash today. A lift technician at the LAM Museum in the Netherlands thought he was throwing away two empty beer cans. But really, they are part of an art installation!

The two hand-painted cans are by the French artist Alexandre Lavet. Luckily, someone else noticed the mistake.
The museum gave the technician a break, saying he was new and that they often place pieces “in unexpected places” so that visitors have unique views of everyday things.

Gulp.

Mosheh, Jill, & Lauren

PS: Don’t forget to refer friends & family to subscribe to the Mo Newsletter… you could get free Mo News merch — DETAILS at the bottom of this newsletter!

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It seems like no matter what we’re doing online, someone is trying to get a hold of our personal information. From companies tracking your browsing habits to internet service providers logging your activity, it often feels like your data is up for grabs and being sold to the highest bidder.

That’s why I use Surfshark VPN. It’s an easy-to-use app that lets you navigate the internet privately, keeping prying eyes away from your personal data. With just a simple login, Surfshark VPN encrypts your activity and hides your IP address so you can browse safely — whether you’re at home or using public Wi-Fi at airports, hotels, and cafes.

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Enter my coupon code ‘monews’ for an extra 4 months free at Surfshark.

— Mosheh

📌 ELECTION DAY TERROR ATTACK PLANS FOILED BY FBI

The Justice Department says the FBI has arrested a 27-year-old Afghan man inspired by ISIS who was planning to target large crowds on Election Day in the US.

Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi of Oklahoma City told investigators after his arrest on Monday that he and a co-conspirator expected to die as martyrs.

Officials say he took steps in recent weeks to advance his attack plans, including ordering guns, liquidating his family’s assets, and buying one-way tickets for his wife and child to travel home to Afghanistan.
- Electronic records showed that Tawhedi also contributed to a charity that “fronts for and funnels money to ISIS,” officials say.
- According to the criminal complaint, Tawhedi and his wife’s younger teen brother met with the FBI informants in rural Oklahoma and purchased, received, and took possession of two AK-47 assault rifles, ten magazines, and 500 rounds of ammunition. It is unclear when they first got onto the law enforcement radar.

Tawhedi has been in the US since 2021 on a special immigrant visa intended for individuals who worked with the American government in Afghanistan during the war on terrorism. There are no details yet on what he did or if he worked for the US.

Eligible Afghans include interpreters for the US military as well as individuals integral to the American embassy in Kabul. The program has existed since 2009. The number of applicants skyrocketed after the chaotic US withdrawal in 2021, and there have been questions about the level of vetting everyone got.

BOTTOM LINE: This is one of countless threats of extremist violence that the FBI is currently facing. Director Christopher Wray said in August that he was “hard pressed to think of a time in my career where so many different kinds of threats are all elevated at once.”

📌 MISINFORMATION AND CONSPIRACY THEORIES FLY ONLINE AFTER HELENE

Misinformation about the origins of hurricanes and the government response have hit new levels in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Conspiracy theories have gone as far as claiming the White House is creating and routing hurricanes to prevent Republicans from voting, that FEMA is purposely sabotaging aid, and antisemitic false allegations that Jewish people orchestrated the disasters and have sabotaged the recovery efforts for money.
- High-profile politicians like Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) have amplified the claims with recent tweets about weather control.

For the record, the US government does not have the ability to create, route, or stop hurricanes. Yes, apparently we actually have to write that in 2024.

THE AMPLIFICATION
The nonprofit Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) released a report Tuesday outlining 33 recent viral X posts— 10 of which contained antisemitic tropes— that spread false claims about Helene, all of which government officials and locals have debunked.

Collectively, the posts attracted 159 million views. FEMA’s 10 most popular posts over the weekend got less than 2.6 million views.
- X had not removed any of the posts as of Monday evening.
FEMA now has a page dedicated only to debunking false claims.

BUT, DO WE HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER THE WEATHER?
Some scientists have PROPOSED weather modifications that could cool Atlantic surface waters ahead of storms, modify typhoons, and engineer a cooler climate and weaker storms. But the technology does not exist.

All of these hypotheses are to weaken storms: None of these efforts would get research funding to exacerbate storms that cost the US government tens of billions of dollars a year, hurt the economy and kill hundreds of people.
In the 1980s, NOAA ended Project Stormfury —a failed effort to weaken hurricanes by seeding them with silver iodide crystals from aircraft. Agency officials say there is NO technology to effectively impact a storm.
Bottom line about the science: The energy a hurricane releases in a single day can be compared to that of 400 20-megaton hydrogen bombs. Our human attempts to shift them are a literal drop in the bucket.

HURRICANE MILTON UPDATE
Forecasters warn that Milton has the potential to become one of the most destructive hurricanes ever for west-central Florida when it makes landfall in the next 24 hours.

On Tuesday, the storm shifted between Category 4 and 5. It was the final day for millions of residents to evacuate the coast before rains and winds would impact travel today.
- Officials did not mince their words. Tampa’s mayor warned locals that if they stay in a mandatory evacuation zone, “you are going to die.”
- Landfall for the eye of the storm, which is still looking like the Tampa area, is expected to be Thursday morning just after 2amET as a Category 3 or 4 storm with historic storm surge. Stay tuned to Mo News Instagram for the latest.

📌 US HOSPITALS RUN LOW ON IV FLUIDS AFTER MAIN MANUFACTURERS IMPACTED BY HURRICANES

Hospitals across the country have implemented IV fluid conservation plans and are warning the public of potential disruptions. The concern comes after recent hurricanes are impacting plants that manufacture IV fluids in the US.

The Baxter plant in Marion, NC— which supplies 60% of the nation's IV fluids— has been shut down since Helene. Milton is barreling toward the second largest IV manufacturing facility in the US, which is located in central Florida and is closing today.
- Latest: Baxter is scrambling to get the NC facility back online ASAP.

The American Hospital Association on Monday asked the Biden administration to declare a shortage of IV solutions and invoke national emergency powers to ease the crisis.

THE CRISIS & THE IMPACT
Hospitals are scrambling for solutions after IV fluid suppliers have restricted how much they can order, with some rescheduling surgeries. IV fluids are used to treat dehydration and are critical for surgeries.

In a letter to President Biden, AHA president Rick Pollack suggested he direct the FDA to declare a national shortage, extend expiration dates, and allow hospitals to prepare their own sterile solutions.

Been here before: Back in 2017, Hurricane Maria shut down Baxter's Puerto Rico-based IV saline plants. However, this shortage is said to be more extensive. Back then, the FDA allowed the importation of IV bags from other countries.

MO NEWS COMMUNITY REACTS
Over on the Mo News Instagram, community members from across the US shared their experiences in hospitals over the past few days with the IV shortages.

“Anything 250 ml and above is in jeopardy. A significant amount of chemotherapy is compounded in 250 mL bag sizes and is an area outside the walls of inpatient hospitals where care is going to be majorly impacted,” a person who works in the Dayton, OH health system said.
An anesthesiologist in Boston, MA was told to reduce IV fluid usage by 60% and is only able to use 250ml bags for most cases as all of the 1L bags of fluid have been removed from their operating rooms except for the cardiac and trauma rooms.
A nurse handling pre/post surgery in West Virginia reported needing to ask “patients to drink an electrolyte drink on their way to the hospital to compensate for the lack of supply of IV fluids.”

⏳ SPEED READ

🚨NATION

📌 Harris proposes Medicare cover home care costs to help the 'sandwich generation' (NPR)

📌 Ron DeSantis-Kamala Harris war of words over hurricane (THE HILL)

📌 In final rule, EPA requires removal of all US lead pipes in a decade (REUTERS)

📌 Embattled NYC deputy mayor resigns amid growing federal investigation (ABC NEWS) Amid turmoil, NYC Mayor Eric Adams expected to hire internally for top post (POLITICO)

📌 Biden postpones trip to Germany and Angola ahead of Hurricane Milton hitting Florida (NBC NEWS)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Israel has now killed two of slain Hezbollah leader’s successors (REUTERS)

📌 Interpol seeking public's help to identify women in 46 cold cases (CBS NEWS)

📌 Russia on mission to cause mayhem on UK streets, warns MI5 (BBC)

📌 Musk’s X to be reinstated in Brazil after complying with Supreme Court demands (AP)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 You can now see climate risk data when shopping for a home on Zillow (CNN)

📌 Nobel physics prize 2024 won by AI pioneers John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton (REUTERS)

📌 PepsiCo trims revenue outlook as North American snacking, key international markets lag (CNBC)

📌 Fight within CBS News over controversial interview with Ta-Nehisi Coates over Israel (NY TIMES)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Lisa Marie Presley kept son Benjamin’s body in her home for two months after his death (PAGE SIX)

📌 Trump secretly stayed in touch with Putin after leaving office, new Bob Woodward book says (NY TIMES)

📌 New York Jets fire coach Robert Saleh after 2-3 start and apparent tension with Aaron Rodgers (NBC NEWS)

📌 Sally Field recalls her ‘hideous’ illegal abortion at 17 as she urges voters to back Kamala Harris (GUARDIAN)

🗓 ON THIS DAY: OCTOBER 9

1888: The Washington Monument, which honors the first US president, opened to the public in Washington DC. At the time, using an elevator, it took 10-12 minutes to ascend the monument.
1999: The first Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA and headlined Beck, Tool, and Rage Against the Machine.
2012: A Taliban gunman shot 15-year-old Malala Yousafzai, a vocal Pakistani activist for girl’s right to education. Despite being struck in the head, she survived the assassination attempt and later became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate.